There are 5 parliamentary seats in Pabna in the national parliament elections. These seats in Pabna have become a hot topic around the upcoming 13th national parliament elections. However, in this election, everyone's attention seems to be on Pabna-3 Chatmohar, Bhangra and Faridpur and Pabna-4 {Iswardi-Athgharia} seats.
After the announcement of BNP's candidate, there have been demands to change the candidates in these two seats. Local leaders and activists have been holding protests, rallies and various programs for a long time. They demand that the nominations for the two seats be changed. If the candidate is not changed, there will be a vote fight between the BNP candidate and the rebel/independent candidate of their own party.
Meanwhile, since the Jamaat-e-Islami candidate was announced long ago, there is no significant difference between them. There is a hint of competition between BNP and Jamaat in other seats.
Parliamentary constituency Pabna-1 This constituency was occupied by Jamaat-e-Islami in 1991 and 2001. Former Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Maulana Matiur Rahman Nizami, who was sentenced to death by Hasina's tribunal for crimes against humanity, served as a member of parliament in this constituency for two terms. After that, Jamaat could not occupy this constituency again. In addition, in 1986, the Jatiya Party was the member of parliament in this constituency for an incomplete term and in 1996, the BNP was the member of parliament for an incomplete term. From June 1996 to 2001 and from 2008 to 2024, the constituency was occupied by the Awami League. As a result, there is a local rumor that BNP's past record in this constituency is not very good.
According to information, although Pabna-1 constituency includes parts of Santhia Upazila and Bera Upazila, this constituency has been formed only from Santhia Upazila according to the revised seat arrangement. BNP has not nominated any candidate here yet. Jamaat-e-Islami's nominated candidate is Barrister Nazibur Rahman Momen, son of late Maulana Matiur Rahman Nizami. Jamaat has always had a vote bank here. So it will be a close fight. In that case, if Jamaat's vote bank and BNP cannot provide a strong candidate, Jamaat's candidate will be ahead. It remains to be seen who BNP nominates to regain the seat it has lost for 29 years.
NCP has not yet announced a candidate in this seat or no one has run. In addition, among the candidates of other parties, Islami Andolan Bangladesh's nominated candidate is Maulana Abdul Gani. He is the secretary of the organization's Pabna district east branch. Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis's nominated candidate is Maulana Amjad Hossain. He is the joint convener of the district committee.
Parliamentary constituency Pabna-2:
According to experts, BNP's influence was more noticeable in this seat from 1991 to 2001. Because in 1991 and 2001, BNP candidates were elected on party nomination in this seat. Earlier, from February to June 1996, BNP was the MP of this seat. Later, in the elections held in June 1996, Awami League candidate won. Then, in 2008 and 2014, the seat was captured by Awami League. Finally, in 2018 and 2024, Awami League candidates were elected. In that sense, the seat has been out of BNP's hands for 29 years.
This time, the BNP party-nominated candidate in this seat consisting of Sujanagar and Bera upazilas is two-time former MP and BNP Central Executive Committee member KM Selim Reza Habib. Jamaat-e-Islami party-nominated candidate for Sujanagar Upazila Jamaat Ameer Professor Maulana Hesab Uddin. BNP's position in this seat is quite strong. However, Jamaat has also advanced its own position quite a bit. So this time, the fight will be between BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami candidates. BNP is ahead as a field figure. However, their victory will not be easy. No BNP rebel or independent candidate is being heard in this seat.
Among other parties, the candidate for this seat is Muhammad Asadullah, the joint convener of the National Youth Power Central Committee nominated by the National Citizens Party (NCP). Maulana Afzal Hossain, a member of the organization, and Maulana Altab Hossain, the joint convener of the district committee, nominated by the Islami Andol Bangladesh, and Golam Sarwar Khan Jewel, the vice-president of the central committee of the council, nominated by the People's Rights Council.
Parliamentary seat Pabna-3:
The Awami League has always had a strong presence in this seat. Maqbul Hossain was the Awami League MP in this seat from 2008 to 2024. Although there is controversy over most of the elections. Earlier, Saiful Azam of BNP and KM Anwarul Islam of BNP were elected members of parliament in 1991 and 2001, respectively. In the meantime, Waji Uddin Khan was elected on the Awami League nomination in 1996. BNP has now entered the field vigorously to regain the seat it lost for two decades.
The name of the Central Krishak Dal President, agriculturist Hasan Jafir Tuhin, has been announced as the BNP's party-nominated candidate for this seat. His birthplace is in Sujanagar upazila of the district. He is currently a voter of Chatmohar upazila with his family. Other candidates hoping for nomination from this party are former Chatmohar upazila BNP president and former MP KM Anwarul Islam, former general secretary Hasadul Islam Hira and central committee advisor of the Nationalist Cultural Party Hasanul Islam Raja. Anwarul Islam and Hasadul Islam Hira and their supported leaders and activists have been agitating for a possible candidate change and a local candidate. They are not giving up. They want to see what the center does in the end. It is known that if the candidate is not changed, one of them will become an independent candidate.
Parliamentary constituency Pabna-3: The Awami League has always had a strong hold on this constituency. Maqbul Hossain was the Awami League MP from 2008 to 2024. Although there are controversies about most of the elections. Earlier, BNP's Saiful Azam and BNP's KM Anwarul Islam were elected as MPs in 1991 and 2001, respectively. In between, Waji Uddin Khan was elected on the Awami League's nomination in 1996. This time, BNP has entered the field vigorously to regain the seat it lost for two decades.
The name of the BNP's party-nominated candidate for this constituency has been announced as the possible candidate of the party, the president of the Central Krishak Dal, Krishibid Hasan Jafir Tuhin. His birthplace is in Sujanagar upazila of the district. He and his family are currently voters of Chatmohar upazila. Other nomination hopefuls of this party are former Chatmohar upazila BNP president and former MP KM Anwarul Islam, former general secretary Hasadul Islam Hira and central committee advisor of the Nationalist Cultural Party Hasanul Islam Raja. Anwarul Islam and Hasadul Islam Hira and their supported leaders and activists have been agitating for a possible candidate change and a local candidate. They are not giving up. They want to see what the center will do in the end. It is known that if the candidate is not changed, one of them will become an independent candidate.
Pabna-3 constituency consists of Chatmohar, Bhangura and Faridpur upazilas. Chatmohar is an important upazila in this constituency. Because the voters of Bhangura and Faridpur upazilas combined are more than the voters of Chatmohar upazila. Therefore, the eyes of the general public are on the candidate of Chatmohar upazila. If there is a single candidate in this constituency, there will be a vote war between the ears of rice and the beard. However, if a candidate from Chatmohar becomes an independent candidate after being deprived of BNP's nomination, then the vote war will be between BNP and an independent candidate of the same party. The picture on the field says that in that case, the independent candidate will be ahead. Because BNP has added a candidate from another constituency to this constituency.
Among the other party candidates, Jamaat-e-Islami's nominated candidate is Professor Maulana Md. Ali Asgar. He is a resident of Bhangura Upazila and the Ameer of Upazila Jamaat. Jatiya Nagorik Party (NCP) candidate and district NCP convener candidate Khandaker Akhter Hossain Lebu. In addition, Gono Forum candidate Sardar Asha Parvez, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis candidate Mufti Md. Mofiz Uddin and Islami Andolan Bangladesh candidate Maulana Alhaj Md. Abdul Khalek will contest as candidates.
Parliamentary constituency Pabna-4:
BNP nominated candidate Sirajul Islam Sardar won this constituency in 1991. Sirajul Islam Sardar was re-elected in the February 1996 elections. However, Awami League nominated candidates won this constituency consecutively from the June elections of the same year to 2024. Among them, the former president of the district Awami League, the late Land Minister Shamsur Rahman Sharif Dilu, was elected as a member of parliament for five consecutive terms from 1996 to 2018. After his death, Awami League candidate Galibur Rahman Sharif won the by-election on September 26, 2020 and the 2024 election. BNP has not been able to win the seat for 29 years due to party conflicts and grouping.
This seat, consisting of Ishwardi and Atgharia upazilas, is quite important. Because BNP's internal grouping is the highest here. BNP's party-nominated candidate for this seat is BNP Chairperson's advisor and District BNP convener Habibur Rahman Habib. A strong candidate here is former Ishwardi Municipal BNP General Secretary Zakaria Pintu. He has served many years in prison as a convict sentenced to death in the attack on former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's train convoy. He and his supporters have been demanding a change in the party candidate. If the candidate is not changed, a section of local BNP leaders and activists believe that Zakaria Pintu may become an independent candidate. In that case, the fight will be fierce.
The Jamaat-e-Islami nominated candidate for this seat is Maulana Abu Taleb Mandal, the Amir of the district Jamaat. Jamaat has a vote bank in Atgharia upazila. And due to his residence in Ishwardi, he has created a separate position there as well. Overall, Jamaat's position is also quite strong. If no independent or rebel candidate from BNP is nominated, there is a hint that the fight between BNP and Jamaat will intensify in this seat.
In addition, among the candidates of other parties are Maulana Anwar Hossain, the president of the Islamic Youth Movement Pabna district branch of Islami Andolan Bangladesh, Maulana Al Amin, the joint member secretary of the organization's district committee, and Abdul Majid, the former principal of BF Shaheen College, nominated by the National Citizens' Committee (NCP).
Parliamentary constituency Pabna-5: Pabna-5 constituency is one of the constituencies of Pabna. This constituency consisting of Sadar Upazila is always in discussion. Everyone's eyes are on this as the center of the district. This constituency was occupied by Awami League from 2008 to 2024. Earlier, Jamaat-e-Islami's Maulana Abdus Sobhan served as an elected member of parliament in the 2001 and 1991 elections. After independence, no BNP member could be elected to this constituency except the brave freedom fighter Rafiqul Islam Bakul. After being elected in 1996, he died in a road accident before the full term of parliament ended, and Mazhar Ali Quaderi was elected on behalf of Awami League in the 2000 by-election.
This constituency has also been lost to BNP for more than two decades. So now it is the turn of recovery. In the meantime, BNP has announced the name of Advocate Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas, Special Assistant to the BNP Chairperson, as the possible candidate nominated by the party for this constituency. After announcing his name, BNP does not see any other nomination hopefuls in the field. Once known as a stronghold of Jamaat, Jamaat-e-Islami has nominated District Jamaat Naib-e-Ameer Principal Maulana Iqbal Hussain as its candidate.
Shimul Biswas is far ahead as an equation of party and candidate. One of the reasons for this is that he is a symbol of trust for the common people, regardless of party affiliation. Thousands of people in the district have benefited from him. Starting from jobs, he has been helping the helpless poor in various ways. Through the trust he established, he has always been by the side of the common people with various programs including distributing sewing machines, cows, goats, winter clothes to the poor and needy, and donating to religious and educational institutions. For this reason, leaders and activists believe that he will not have to rush much to cross the election threshold.
On the other hand, the seat that Jamaat has lost for many years. The party's supporters are expecting a tough competition as Jamaat has a separate vote bank. However, this time, Nesar Ahmed Nannu, son of late former MP Maulana Abdus Sobahan, has announced his candidacy as an independent candidate outside the Jamaat party nomination. He also has a different identity and acceptance. As a result, if Jamaat's nominated candidate Iqbal is to win, Sobahan's son will be a big obstacle along with the BNP candidate. In that regard, BNP candidate Advocate Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas is ahead in all respects.
Among the candidates from other parties in this seat are Mufti Nazmul Hasan, advisor to the district committee, nominated by Islami Andolan Bangladesh, Mufti Wali Ullah, convener of the district committee, nominated by Khelafat Majlis, and Rawshan Alam, member secretary of the organization's Malaysia Diaspora Alliance branch, nominated by the National Citizens Committee (NCP).
Meanwhile, the main party candidates are going door to door to voters in all 5 parliamentary constituencies in Pabna. They are holding meetings and rallies in the name of election campaign. The candidates have started to warm up the field.
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